The Irish standard., 1887-11-26
BISHOP KEANE OF RICHMOND
Adds to His Recent Article on the
American Catholic
University.
A REAL REPUBLIC OF LETTERS.
The Establishment of the University Can
not be LESS Joy to the Laity
Than to the Clergy,

The following IS taken from the
Catholic World for December, beng
part Of Bishop K.eane;s second paper on
the Catholic University: Thanks to
the noble iabors of our predecessors,
our country is blessed with many e1-
cellent seminaries for the training OF
Young ecclesiastics, just as With many
excellent colleges for the education OF
our lay youth. But our sepainar!es can
no more take the place OF q university
course Of divinity than our colleges can
supply for the superior education given
in it's other faculties. The young &c,
clesiastic who, by the time OF his Or
dination, has gained sufficient acquaint-
ance With divinity studies to fit him
for starting in the ordinary work of the
ministry, knows well, it he under
stands his situation at all, that he is
but novice in The divine science, that
he has but climbed the lower heights Of
the mountain Of sacred learning, and
attained to but a rudimentary develop.
ment Of the intellectual capabilities for
which the vast field Of the holy minis
try gives scope. Many a young man
feels keenly the disadvantage Of having
TO lay ASIDE systematic study and to De
removed from educational helps just
at a. time when the advance which be
has been able to make during his semi.
NARY term has only opened up to his in
teilectual eyes heights and yistas yet
unreached, and for which his soul must
yearn in vain. Many a young priest, who
perhaps did not feel thisso keenly at the
time Of his ordination, WHO may have
been glad to lay aside class work for
the work Of the ministry, learns III at
ter Years. from contact with the world
anti !!,etGey acquaintance with it's needs,
how many and how great are still his
intellectunl deficiencies and can only
sigh with regret tha5 means aud aids
for further study, in directions which
he would long TO advance III, are not
wiJn;n his reach. Why should the
church in America lack any educational
adyartage which amy other country
possesses? If our country's provident~
ial vocation, OF that cf the Church in
our new world, were humber and less
important than that uf other nations,
we might be content to hold |, wer
educational l,osltion than theirs. But
the testimonies OF great minds adauced
in our last article are quite to the con-
trary Hence Whatever means Of
higher education any other country
possesses America needs, and, with
Gods help, must have. We need facili-
ties for students Of exceptional ability
to advance higher and farther than the
limits OF the ordinary seminary course.
WeneeGl y home OF sacred science where
priests who have had some experience
in the s~prac1ical ministry, and have
thence learned to appreciate better
what tltey might be and are not, may
come to stay awhile in order to burnish
tho learning they already have, and
take Il course in some speciality in which
they wish TO perfect themselves. We
need an,arseual Of learning to which
the priests of our country, aud its }aity
TOO. may at any time have recourse for
all the offensive and defensive armor
OF 7shich they may stand in need amid
the thousand piercing questions that
press upon them We need an ins5itu-
ticn whose watch towers shall scan the
farthest horizon Of the learning Of the
day, aud whose spires Shall lift the
cross OF Christ sc high that it will be a
beacon guide TO the loftiest inlellectss in
our land We need true university,
which will show TO our doubling age all
knowledge meeting in the divine truth
aud radiating from il. We need q |
nursery and training ground for the
scholars Of the future scholars whose
genius will be like that Of our country, |
The freest and boldest and noblest. yet
the safest and most conservative of all |
Such is the great need which the Cath
olic University Of America must aim
at supplying. No matter how gradual I!
may be its beginnings, that must be its
purpose. the goal of it's endeavor. Surely |
its establishment must be a JOY to all .
who have felt the need aud the craving
Cor what 1t is meant to supply, and to
all who, with generous hearts, for the
greater glory Of the Church and the
higher welfare Of our people, desire
that Others should have more abundant |
facilities than them selves
were ever blessed with. The halls of /
the university are to be wide open to /
Bvery one, without limit Or distinction,
who e||and anxious to profit by the